Pressure regulating valve



Aug. 13, 1935. H. A. MANTZ 2,010,872

PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE Filed June 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 13, 1935. A, MANTZ PRESSURE REGULAIING VALVE Filed June 25, 1.932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 which cooperates with Patented Aug. 13, 1935 PATENT OFFICE PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE Harold A. Mantz, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Milwaukee Gas Specialty Company, Milwaukee,

Wis.,

a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 23, 1932, Serial No. 618,968

to pressure regulating and more particularly to pressure regu- This invention relates valves,

' lating valves operated in conjunction with asafety the fuel supply conduit leading to the manifold. f

of the gas range, and which isaprovided with means responsive to the action of the pilot flame for closing the valve upon extinguishment of the flame. The cooperation between the valve and the pilot flame is provided by means of a ther-- mally sensitive member positioned adjacent to and responsive to the flame and which is connected,

through suitable control transmitting mechanism, to latching mechanism associated with the valve. The contraction of the thermally sensitive member upon extinguishment of the pilot I flame results in release of the latching mechanism, and the valve is then closed by the action of a spring which encircles the valve stem.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a pressure adjusting screw for varying the pressure at which the fuel is passed to the manifold, a. weighted diaphragm valve to maintain this pressure constant at'any predetermined value.

The fuel supply to the manifold and to the pilot flame is closed upon extinguishment of the flame, and may be reestablished by manual opening of the valve and reignition of the pilot flame. Disposed adjacent to the pilot flame and leading to each of the burnersof the range are a plurality of lighter tubes of the so-called gravity type, which are adapted to conduct gas'from the burner to the pilot flame, where it is ignited and projected back to the burner asa lighting flame to ignite the same.

Another feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the lighter tube is positioned over the burner ports in order to allow gas to pass from the ports through the tube to the pilot flame.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description, which, together with the accompany-e .ing drawings, will disclose to those skilled in the art the particular construction and operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

vIn the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ordinary type of domestic gas range, showing the pressure regulating valve mounted in the fuel supply conduit;

8'Qlaims. (c1. its-117.1

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view showing the pressure regulating valve and the'pilot light lng device, together with the thermally operated means for releasing the valve to close the same;

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the latching mechanism for the pressure regulating valve;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the disposition of the thermally sensitive means in proximity to the pilot flame;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the manner in which the lighter tube is positioned, over the burner port; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in Figure 1 I have indicated the gas range 8, provided with a plurality of open top or grate bumers 9 disposed thereon, and have shown afuel so supply conduit-.10 leading from the rear'of the range to the gas manifold ll disposed at the front thereof. From the gasjmanifold II, individual conduits lead to each of the burners 0, for supplying fuel thereto. The pressure regug5 lating valve, indicated generally by the reference numeral l2,'is interposed in the fuel supply conduit I 0 for regulating the admission of fuel to the manifold II. it suitable pilot flame lighting device I3 is positioned substantially centrally of the burners 9, and is provided with a plurality of lighter tubes ll leading to each of I the burners. I

Considering now in detail Figure 2, the pressure regulating valve l2 comprises a lower valve as housing l6, which has the inlet chamber l1 and the outlet chamber l8 separated by the partition wall l9, the partition wall I! having a valve passage "formed therein and adapted to be closed by the valve member 2 I, which valve mem- 40 her may be formed of hardleather, rubber or the like. Threaded into the inlet chamber I1 is the fuel supply conduit l0; and leading from the outlet chamber lB'is the manifold feeder conduit 22, which is connected at its further end, by means of the elbow 23 to the manifold ll of the q range.

The valve 2| is held in position by means of a retaining washer 26, or valve disc support secured about a reduced portion of the valve stem 56 21, the valve 2| being secured between the washer 26 and a second retaining washer 28. A suitable valve cap 29 is threaded i nto the lower portion of the valve housing It, and permits access to the valve opening 20 and to the valve ll; 68

The valve stem 21 extends upwardly throughan opening 38 formed in the valve housing l6, and is secured in a suitable bearing shoulder or sleeve 3| formed in the lower portion 32 of the diaphragm housing. This lower portion 32 of the diaphragm'housing is secured about the opening 30 by means of a plurality of cap screws 33, there being a suitable gasket or washer 34 disposed therebetween. The upper portion 35 of the'diaphragm housing is secured about its periphery to the flange portion of the lower diaphragm or housing, the diaphragm 36, which may be formed of rubber, leather, suitable fiexible sheet metal or the like being secured therebetween by means of the rivets or other suitable retaining means 31, spaced about the periphery of the housing.

The lower portion 32,0f the diaphragm housing is provided with openings 38 for permitting communication between the lower diaphragm chamber 39 and the outlet chamber I8 of the valve. The valve stem 21 has an upper extending portion of reduced diameter, indicated at 40, and a suitable washer 4| rests upon the shoulder formed between the valve stem 21 and its reduced portion 40. The diaphragm is secured between the washer 4| and a diaphragm plate 42, the diaphragm plate 42 being securely held in position by means of the spacing sleeve 43 positioned about the extending portion 40 of the valve stem and bearing against a suitable washer 44 disposed at the upper end of the valve-stem. The upper end of the valve stem is peened over, as at 45, for securing the washer 44 against outward displacement with respect to the valve stem, and thus the diaphragm plate42 and the diaphragm 36 are securely held in position upon the valve stem and are movable therewith.

The upper portion 35 of the diaphragm housing has the inwardly turned sleeve portion 46, which serves as a bearing support for the spacing member 43, and permits the spacing member 43 to move vertically therein.

Extending upwardly from the upper surface of the-upper portion 35 of the diaphragm housing is the latch cover member 48, of substantially cylindrical form, which has the lower radially flanged portion 49 secured to the portion 35 of the diaphragm housing by means of a plurality of rivets or other suitable securing means 50. The upper end of the latch cover 48 is closed and is provided with an opening 5| concentric with stem 21, enter a'suitable cup-shaped spring guiding member 52 positioned within the latch cover 48, which member 52 is provided with a radially extending flanged portion 53 acting as an upper bearing surface for a coil spring 54 extending thereabout, the spring 54 hearing at its lower end against the surface of the upper portion 35 of the diaph'agm housing. The spring 54 no !tnally tends to urge the valve 2| to closed posiion.

The flanged portion 53 of the guide member 52 engages a suitable disc washer 56, which washer engages about an annular groove formed in the latch sleeve 51. This engagement provides for conjoint movement of the latch sleeve 51 and the guide member 52 when the spring 54 is urged either upwardly or downwardly. The latch sleeve 51 has a reduced portion 58 extending through the opening 5| formed in the end of the latch cover 48. and is provided with acentral threaded recess 59 receiving the adjusting screw 60. A

lock nut 6| serves to maintain the adjusting screw 68 in position with respect to the latch sleeve 51. The adjusting screw 68 is provided, at its lower end, with a portion of reduced diameter engaging in the washer 62, for positioning the .washer 62 centrally of the cup-shaped member 52. An adjusting spring 63 is mounted within the cupshaped member 52 and is biased at one end against the washer 62, and at its other end against the washer 44 carried by the. valve stem.

A latching slide is indicated at 65, andis provided with an extending portion lying below the surface of the end of the latch cover 48. The latching slide 65 is provided with a pair of elongated apertures 66 which engage about suitable guide pins 61 carried by the latch cover 48. The latch lever 65 is also provided with an elongated central opening 10 which fits about the latch sleeve 51, and which, when in latching position, engages the shoulder formed by the reduced portion 58 of the latching sleeve to hold the latching sleeve 51 in depressed position. It is apparent that upon lateral shifting'of the latch slide 65,

the latch sleeve 51 can be released to be freely movable in a vertical direction through the aligned openings 5| and 10, but that when in latched position, as when the latch lever 65 is moved to the right, shown in Figure 2, the latch sleeve 51 is held in depressed position against the tension of the spring 54.

The depending portion of the latch slide 65 is engaged about a reduced end of the control transmitting rod 12 which is provided with a suitable key 13 for securing the depending portion of the latch slide 65 thereon. The other end of the control transmitting rod 12 is provided with a portion of reduced diameter which is engaged by the bifurcated end 13' of a thermally sensitive member 14. The thermally sensitive member 14 15 of the pilot tip This tip support support 16 for the pilot flame. 16 is threaded to receive the end of the ilot feeder tube 11, which is tapped into the manifold M. The tip support 16 is recessed, as at 18, to receive the spud or jet member 19, which is provided with a slabbed off portion 88, as shown in Figure 4, for permitting gas to pass therealong. A suitable tip or nozzle 8| is threaded onto the extending portion 15 of the support 16 and is spaced above the upper end of the spud 19 to permit gas to pass out of the port 82, the gas mixing with air drawn into air inlet openings 83 for maintaining a pilot flame at this point, the flame being indicated by the numeral 84.

A hood support 85 is secured about the pilot tip support 15, and is adapted to support the hood 86 for the pilot flame, this hood being provided with a dome-shaped upper surface having a plurality of openings 81 formed therein for ventilating purposes.

Disposed within and extending through the hood 86 are a plurality of'pilot lighter tubes l4, which tubes extend into proximity to the pilot flame 84, and which, at their other end, extend to the burners carried by the gas range. The thermally sensitive member 14, which is composed of two strips of metal suitably soldered or otherwise secured together, the metals having difierent coeflicients of expansion, is seated upon the hood support 85, and is held in position by means of the nut 88 threaded upon the extending portion 15 of the tip support 16. The thermally sensitive member extends upwardly in proxmeans, and the heat thereof expands the thermally sensitive member ll, causing the control imity to the pilot flame u; and is then doubled back, and engages about the control transmitting rod 12; as previously described. Considering now in detail the manner in which the lighter tubes are positioned over the burner 02 directed into the lighter tube tip It. The lighter tube tip Oil is provided with a downwardly extending flanged portion 83, which flts over the burner tip SI, and rests upon a flange 94 formed upon the tip. This serves to provide a rigid, but

, removable mounting of the lighter tube with respect to the burner, and .also insures that gas issuing from the port of the burner 9 will be directed into the interior of the lighter tube I 4. As noted, the tube It is provided with a slot extending along its lower surface, indicated at 95, for the purpose of admitting air thereto, for supporting combustion when the gas is ignited by the pilot flame 84. The tip 80 is cylindrical in form,

and has an opening at the outer end thereof which provides for projection of flame from the tube It outwardly over the burner ports past the burner tip 9|. That is, the lighter tube tip 90 provides a cylindrical passageway extending-outwardly of the tube It, and is open at its outermost end to provide for projection of the'lighti'ng flame therefrom.

In-operation, when it is desired to ignite the pilot flame N, the adjusting screw Gil is depressed, which depresses the latching sleeve 51, and also depresses the valve stem-21, opening the valve II for permitting flow of gas from-the fuel supply conduit l0 through the valve and intothe outlet chamber l8 thereof. From the outlet chamber the gas passes through the manifold feeder conduit 22, and a portion thereof passes through the pilot feeder tube 11 to the pilot flame port 82. The pilot flame is then ignited by any suitable transmitting rod 12 to be pushed to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, thus engaging the latching slide in the reduced portion 58 of the latching sleeve 51, and holding the latching sleeve against upwaid displacement which would tend to close the valve. The desired burner cock is then opened to receive a fuel supply from the mani-. fold ii, and gas passes through the burner conduit into the burner and through tip- II and lighter tube I l to the pilot flame 84, where it is ignitedand projected back as a flame to ignite the burner 1 Any of the burners 9 may be ignited in this manner. The pressure regulating screw I is threaded into the latching sleevell for the purpose of adjusting the valve 2| with respect to the pressure of the gas entering the fuel supply conduit, in order to provide the proper pressure for delivery to the gas manifold I i. The pressure'is maintained at the desired value by means of the weighted diaphragm II, the plate 42 being of such mass as to maintain the valve in the proper position when the latchingisleeve I! has been depressed and locked in position. The valve 3| then has free vertical movement with respect .to the valve housing It, and is held in proper position,

by means of the diaphragm, to allow gas under a certain predetermined pressure to pass to the manifold ll.

When the pilot flame becomes accidentally extinguished, the thermally sensitive-member ll tends to contract,-drawing the control transmitting rod 12 to the left and releasing the latch slide 65. The spring 54 then forces the latching sleeve-51 upwardly, and'also draws thevalve stem 21 upwardly, due to the engagement of the. washer 44 by the lower end of the cup-shaped guiding member 52, to closed position, thus shutting off the flow of fuel to the burner and to the pilot flame.

It is therefore apparent-that I have provided a pressure regulating valve for determining the pressure of the fuel supplied to the gas range, in

conjunction with a pilot flame and safety lighting means such that upon extinguishment of the pilot flame, this means will function to close the valve, thus shutting off supply of fuel to the range. Also, the provision of the adjusting screw and adjusting spring enables the pressure to be varied, without in any way interfering with the-action of the pressure regulating means in conjunction with the safety pilot lighting device.

I claim:

1.; In combination, a burner, a fuel supply line therefor, a pilot burner for maintaining a pilot flame connected to said fuel supply line, a pressure regulating valve in'said supply line anterior to said pilot burner connection, a reciprocatory sleeve member having lost "motion connection with said valve stem, spring means engaging said sleeve member and normally tending to close said valve, thermally sensitive means supported by said pilot burner and responsive to said flame, said thermally sensitive means having a portion thereof depending below said pilot burner, latching means engaging said sleeve member for restraining said spring to maintain saidvalve open, and a motion transmitting member between said depending portion of said thermally sensitive means and said latching means.

2. In combination, a burner, afuel supply line therefor, a pressure regulating valve in said fuel supply line, means normally tending to close said valve including a reciprocatory sleeve member having lost motion connection therewith, manually operable means for opening said valve including means enclosed within said sleeve member for varying the regulating effect of said valve,- latching means for holding said sleeve member indepressed position, a pilot burner connected tothe outlet side of said valve, and means including a motion transmitting member and a thermally sensitive member responsive to the flame at said pilot burner for releasing said latching means upon extinguishment of said flame;

3. In a pressure regulating valve having an extending valve stem, a sleeve member receiving the upper end of said stem and having lost motion connection therewith, a housing having a projecting annular chamber receiving said sleeve member for reciprocatory movement therein, spring means encircling said sleeve member and normally urging it into position to close said for holding said sleeve' member away from valve ,valve, latching means including a latchingslide v closing position, thermally sensitive means disposed at a point remote from said valve, and means carried bysaid thermally sensitive means and extending through said chamber into engagement with said latching means and movable normal to the movement of said valve for releasably locking said latching means in position.

3 jecting externally 4. In combination, a pair of housings, one of said, housings having inlet and outlet chambers, a diaphragm secured between said housings and having its under surface subjected to the pressures in said outlet chamber, a valve in one of said housings having a stem 'secured'to and extending through said diaphragm into said other housing, said other housing and having means for looking the extending end of said stem against withdrawal therefrom, said sleeve member having a projecting stud portion provided with an annular groove adjacent its upper end, springmeans normally urging said sleeve member upwardly, a latching slide mounted in said other housing and engageable in said groove when said sleeve member is in depressed position for maintaining said sleeve member in depressed position, thermally sensitive means disposed at a point remote from said housing, and means connected at one end to said thermally sensitive means and at the opposite end to said latching slide and adapted to move said slide in a direction normal to the movement of said valve stem for releasing said sleeve member to eiIect closing of said valve under spring pressure.

5. In bmbination, a pair of housings, a diaphragm secured therebetween and subjected to the pressure in one of said housings, a valve in one of said housings,-a recess in the other of said housings, said valve having a stem secured to and extending through saiddiaphragm and into said recess in said other housing, a sleeve member having an extending stud portion proof said other housing and slidable vertically with respect thereto, the extending end of said valve stem being secured to said sleeve member and having limited sliding movement with respect thereto, spring means normally urging said sleeve member upwardly with respect to said housing, latching means for holding said sleeve member in depressed position, a fuel supply manifold communicating with one of said housings, pilot flame means supported on and receiving fuel from said manifold, thermally sensitive means responsive to the ignition of said pilot flame means, and means connecting said thermally sensitive means to said latching means to effect closing of said valve under spring 3 pressure upon-extinguishment of said pilot flame means.

6. In combination, a pair of housings, a diaphragm secured therebetween and subject to the pressure in one of member, spring means normally urging said sleeve member in one direction, latching means holding said sleeve member against movement, therasleeve member slidably mounted in,

said housings, a valve in one of said housings and having a stem secured mally sensitive means responsive to said remote-- ly disposed pilot flame means, and a motion transmitting member extending between said thermally sensitive means and said latching means and supported for reciprocatory movement on said other housing for releasing said latching means upon extinguishment of said pilot flame.

7. In combination, a pair of housings, a diaphragm secured therebetween, inlet and outlet chambers in one or said housings, a valve disposed between said-inlet and outlet chambers and having an extending stem secured to and extending through said diaphragm and into said other housing, a pressure chamber between said first housing and said diaphragm open to said outlet chamber, means communicating with said outlet chamber and disposed at a point remote from said pair of housings for maintaining a pilot flame, a sleeve member engaging the upper extending end of said valve stem, said stem being adapted to have lost motion connection-with said sleeve member, spring means normally urging said sleeve member upwardly to close said valve, means for holding said sleeve member in lowermost position, and thermally sensitive means responsive to said pilot flame means for releasing said holding means upon extinguishment of said pilot flame, said stern being freely slidable with respect to said sleeve member in said lowermost position thereof to actuate said valve in accordance with the pressures in said outlet chamber.

8. In a device of the class described, a lower valve housing having inlet and outlet chambers, anupper housing having a projecting cap portion, a diaphragm secured between said housing and subjected to pressures in said outlet chamber, a valve in said lower valve housing and having a stem secured to and extending through said diaphragm into the cap portion of said upper housing, a sleeve member slidable in said cap portion and having a recessed portion in which said valve stem is engaged, spring means normally urging said sleeve member upwardly, latching means for holding said sleeve member. in depressed position,-said valve stem having free sliding movement with respect to said sleeve member only when said member is depressed, means connected to the outlet chamber of said valve housing for maintaining a pilot flame at a point spaced from said diaphragm valve, thermally sensitive means secured to said last named means and responsive to said pilot flame, and motion transmitting means secured at one end-to said thermally sensitive means and extending laterallytherefrom into engagement with said latching means for holding said latching means in depressed position when said pilot flame is buming, said thermally sensitive means being adapted to move said motion transmitting means longitudinally to release said latching means 'for allowing upward movement of said sleeve memher to close said valve when the pilot flame is extirguished. f HAROLD A. MANTZ. 

